CHICAGO — In a surprise to absolutely nobody, another Illinois Democrat has been exposed for improperly accepting MILLIONS of dollars in campaign cash. This time, the culprit is Illinois Senate President, Don Harmon, who showed that he is beholden to big-money interests including pro-sports betting groups.

The Democrat Machine in Illinois has led a culture of corruption for decades, putting special interests and big-money donors over Illinois families. Unfortunately, Harmon’s corruption is just another rung in a long, long ladder. Don’t forget that Illinois Democrats like JB Pritzker have continuously swept former Democrat kingmaker Mike Madigan’s corruption under the rug for their own benefit.

Bottom Line: Corrupt Democrats lie, cheat and steal while Illinois families pay the price.

CHICAGO — Today, ILGOP Chair Kathy Salvi released the following statement following the passage of Amendment 2 to HB2827, also known as the Homeschool Act, through the House Education Policy Committee.

“Illinois Democrats in Springfield proved today that they want to control our children and take away parent’s rights. These draconian policies are anti-family and will insert the government into parents’ day-to-day lives. Let’s be clear – this fight isn’t over and we will continue to do everything possible to protect our homeschool families.”

Despite strong opposition from parents, who filed over 38,000 witness slips against the amendment, and no Republican support, Democrats continue to work against Illinois families.

CHICAGO — In case you missed it, Rep. Travis Weaver called out Democrats’ plan to demonize parents and insert the government into parents’ day-to-day lives on FOX32.  See for yourself:

During the interview, Rep. Weaver showed the FACTS of HB2827:

“FACT: this criminalizes parents that don’t fill out the form. FACT: this bill has bipartisan opposition. FACT: 90,000 Illinoisans have filed witness slips in opposition to this bill, and so many people came down to Springfield saying they don’t want it that the Capital is at capacity for the first time in my tenure. That’s a FACT. Another FACT: Homeschool families do an amazing job of raising kids. We need to empower them or promote them, instead of demonizing them.”

During the interview, Rep. Weaver described the importance of homeschooling:

“We know that this is a lot more than just a form. It’s a lot more than just a document that folks need to fill out. It’s a system that would be in place to track families and create an entire new class of criminal…I think what we all know is that homeschooling is not the problem. Homeschooling is a solution to the problem. We see our homeschool families do 130 points better on the SAT. We see them have great opportunities for expanding curriculum.”

Rep. Weaver closed by saying: 

“Home schooling is not a problem, it’s a solution, and we need to stop demonizing our homeschool families that do a fantastic job.”

The Homeschool Act has triggered historic opposition and guts parent’s ability to homeschool our children. Over 50,000 Illinois parents have shown their support against Democrats’ unhinged and extreme plans to control our children. Don’t forget that the Homeschool Act:

• Mandates what parents teach their children and tracks their progress
• Creates a permanent record with local school districts of children’s personal information
• Literally criminalizes parents – If they do not file forms on time, they could be charged with a misdemeanor carrying jail time

Bottom Line: The Homeschool Act is nothing more than a disgusting attempt by Illinois Democrats to take away parents’ rights to homeschool their children and insert the government into our day-to-day lives.

CHICAGO — In case you missed it, ILGOP Chair Kathy Salvi joined FOX and Friends First to discuss JB Pritzker’s trade mission to Mexico as businesses and families alike flee the Prairie State.

During the interview, Chairman Salvi highlighted how Pritzker is distracting from the real issues in Illinois with tax increases on families and small businesses, saying:

“I have no problem with trips to Mexico, a lot of families are taking trips this spring break, but to do it on suffering Illinois businesses and taxpayers, families who are being forced out of this beautiful state, that’s unheard of. That’s Pritzker’s way, he lives in a bubble of unreality, he’s hurting us.”

Furthermore, Chairman Salvi highlighted Pritzker’s oppressive taxes that are forcing families out of the state:

“We in Illinois are 50th in the state. We are the highest taxed state, the state where most people are fleeing to better states with more jobs and better economic communities. We’re losing our young people, they are just finding better paying jobs. There’s no family I know that doesn’t have children and grandchildren out-of-state. I expect we’re going to bring about a Republican renaissance and one factor is getting rid of the guy in the governor’s mansion.”Watch the full interview with FOX and Friends First here.

CHICAGO — The ILGOP Election Integrity Committee will audit and examine municipal election voter rolls for cases of voter fraud, improper registration and voter suppression. Using advanced AI, the Election Integrity Committee will help ensure that our elections are safe and secure. The Election Integrity Committee will present its recommendations to ensure that our elections are conducted with transparency and integrity.

“We need to be doing everything possible to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat,” said ILGOP Chair Kathy Salvi. “Unfortunately, Illinois Democrats have not pushed for requiring proof of U.S. citizenship or photo ID to cast a ballot. Our Election Integrity Committee is reviewing this year’s voters to safeguard our elections and will present its findings on voter fraud, improper registration, and voter suppression.”

Tick, Tick: Brandon Johnson is Running Out of Time

CHICAGO — It’s not just 94% of Chicago that’s unhappy with Brandon Johnson, now it’s his own City Council allies too. Democrats are convinced that Johnson will “pull some underhanded shenanigans” as he faces another looming defeat to his radical plan to have Chicago pay for a $175 million pension plan for non-teaching school employees.

There is a real possibility that Johnson goes around the City Council and puts Chicago taxpayers on the hook for this bailout to his big donors and friends at the Chicago Teachers Union. He’s not a mayor for Chicago, he’s a mayor for the Chicago Teacher’s Union.

As the clock keeps ticking, it’s clear to everyone that Johnson doesn’t have a plan that doesn’t involve giving CPS exactly what they want.

Bottom Line: Chicago Teacher’s Union > Chicago taxpayers. In Mayor Johnson’s mind, it’s that simple.

April 1 is Election Day, and your vote is crucial in shaping the future of your community. Too often, Republicans sit out local elections, allowing the Left to take control of school boards, city councils, and other key offices. These elections have real consequences—higher taxes, soft-on-crime policies, and radical agendas in our schools. Don’t let others decide for you. Make your voice heard by voting Republican on or before April 1. Click below to find your county’s voting information and make a plan to vote early or on Election Day!

CHICAGO —  Today, ILGOP Chair Kathy Salvi released the following statement following the House Education Policy Committee’s passing of HB2827.

“Let’s be clear about what The Homeschool Act really is – a disgusting attempt by Illinois Democrats to take away parents’ rights to homeschool their children and insert the government into our day-to-day lives. Politicians in Springfield have no right to tell parents how to teach our children and the ILGOP and 40,000 families who filed witness slips will continue to fight tooth and nail to stop these draconian policies and attempts to diminish parental rights.”

CHICAGO — There’s a few things that are a constant in life: death, taxes and Brandon Johnson continuously mismanaging a budget. The latest victim? City Hall Contractors who are being asked to take a minimum 3% pay cut to help manage Chicago’s bloated budget.

The idea, hidden from Chicago taxpayers, is the latest move from the most anti-business, out-of-touch Mayors office in Chicago history. Yesterday, Brandon Johnson was finally forced to address the issue, calling it “standard procedure.” Meanwhile, Chicago Aldermen continue to rally against the idea, calling it a “bad idea” and questioning “Who is getting the 3% whack next week?”

Chicago Democrats dysfunction and squabbling continues to make front pages but don’t forget – Johnson and 26 Chicago Aldermen tied an anchor around Chicago’s neck by approving a $17.1 BILLION budget that they have no way to pay for. The consequences of this irresponsible deal are on their hands. 

CHICAGO — Over the past two years, Brandon Johnson and Chicago Democrats have proudly stood against Israel and emboldened antisemitic tropes and attacks against the Jewish community. The Illinois Republican Party strongly supports the Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism’s investigation into how Brandon Johnson and Chicago Democrats supported antisemitism on college campuses and throughout the city.

Following the brutal atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, antisemitic attacks against Chicago residents spiked dramatically. The United States experienced over 10,000 antisemitic instances, a 200% spike since the year before. Meanwhile, antisemitic instances in Illinois have reached record highs. As violence got worse, Democrats, including Mayor Johnson’s own aides, inflamed tensions and criticized Israel.

Remember what Illinois Democrats did throughout the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust:

• Brandon Johnson cast the tie-breaking vote calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas terrorists while playing down the depths of violence committed by Hamas
• Illinois Democrats blamed Israel for denying Palestinians “basic human rights” following the deadly terrorist attack by Hamas on Israelis
• Brandon Johnson REFUSED to commit to stopping anti-Israel protests on college campuses
• JB Pritzker declared that “he wants the rights of both sides to be protected” while refusing to condemn college protests impeding campus operations
• Illinois Democrats in Washington vote against sending aid to Israel while supporting aid to Ukraine